Another criticism regarding Parsons Sick role status is that it applies only to acute diseases, which are temporary and usually recognised by the patient’s referral system and readily overcome by the doctor’s help (Cockerham, 2003:181). However, chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and Alzheimer’s disease are not temporary, are of long term and thus, the patient cannot be expected to get well as the sick role model suggests, no matter how hard the patients tries to cooperate with the physician (Cockerham, 2003:181). Cockerham (2003:181) maintains that patient with chronic illness are faced with the impossibility of resuming their normal social roles and the need of adjusting their activities to a permanent health disorder.
